Getting Off The Grid - The Freeze Came

November 1,2017

No this freeze was not predicted, sure they said 38 degrees for October 27th. but not a freeze, it is a little early this year.  I no longer have any thing but cold weather foods growing in the garden. It all melted.

Progress  Around the Homestead :

Dead and melted plants 2017 Vegetable garden

October 31st.

Since everything was dead I got the riding mower out and I cleaned off the garden area. 

First I gathered all the tomato cages, stacked them into three sections and took those up to the shed for storage, I made this investment this year so that I can use them for many years to come, so I will take care of my cages.

There was a few paper plates that had blown into the garden that I picked up and one I did not see got chewed up.

I did do thirty minutes out in th back grown up field, I almost got it mowed down, all five feet tall.

We spent one afternoon working on the dogs area in the back yard, the electric fence project and got so much accomplished. I also got something I did not want, poison oak, my arms are covered in those tiny itching blisters. :(

So, I asked Tony if he could handle doing the back yard electric fence while I mowed the garden to get double the work done, he said "yes." Life is much easier when I have help, this year I have not had much at all.

From The Garden : 

I have not picked anything but I did get all the bell peppers before the freeze, thank God. I had left a baby and it melted.

I do plan to gather a mess of kale to can one day this week.

The Stockpile :

Since I do not have anything but greens to can I bought more meat, a whole pork tenderloin, it was on sale and I got nearly five pounds for around $7.00 I got five pint jars and two meals so that is around $1.00 per Pint and it can and will be made into meals like pork and rice that can feed two people.

I also made extremely hot and spicy pickled sausages for this man that is allowing Tony to deer hunt on his land, I made five pints. He asked for hot and that is what I made.

You might also like : Cooking from the stockpile  

Learning :

I do not think I did any learning the past few days, I have for the most part been working and not much thinking about new stuff.

How is life on your home stead? 

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry